Armed men, suspected to be kidnappers, have abducted at least 20 medical and dental students from two universities, along with a House Officer, in Benue State along the Otukpo-Enugu road.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident to reporters on Friday in Makurdi. The police in Benue State stated that the abducted students were from the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, and the University of Jos, Plateau State.
“Incident confirmed. Investigation is ongoing,” Anene said.
The PPRO also revealed that the victims were travelling in two buses around 6 pm when they were ambushed after passing through Otukpo main town.
Our reporters confirmed that the abducted individuals were more than 20 medical and dental students, including a House Officer, who were on their way to Enugu State for the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) annual convention.
The news of the abduction of the medical and dental students is coming as Doctors at the National Eye Centre Kaduna are protesting for the release of their colleague Dr Ganiyat Popoola and her nephew, Abdul-Mugniy Folaranmi.
Doctors at University College Hospital, Ibadan also staged a peaceful protest to demand their immediate release. Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, a Senior Registrar in the Department of Opthalmology, National Eye Centre, Kaduna, was abducted on Dec. 27, 2023 alongside her husband and nephew.
Although her husband was released in March, Ganiyat and her nephew remain in custody of the bandits.
The National Association of Resident Doctors announced they would embark on a nationwide protest if their abducted colleague was not released by August 26.
Medics at UCH moved around with placards carrying inscriptions such as “It is not a crime to be a doctor”, “#FreeDrGaniyatNow”, “Seven months and counting in captivity is unacceptable”, “#Bring back our Doctor Ganiyat now,” among others.
They threatened that the association might be forced to embark on strike if government failed to secure Popoola’s release within the next one week.